


A Fine Line

by miss_whimsy



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Gen, Inspired by Upcoming Spoilers, Robron Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 15:56:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10030457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_whimsy/pseuds/miss_whimsy
Summary: Aaron is in prison. Robert and Chrissie talk.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the upcoming spoilers, with a twist courtesy of [Thank Your Lucky Stars](http://thank-your-lucky-stars.tumblr.com).

“Who let you in?”

Robert was sitting with his back to the living room door, staring at a glass of scotch which was standing on the coffee table.

“Rebecca,” he said, reaching for the drink and downing it in one quick movement. 

“Well allow me to show you out.” Chrissie stayed in the doorway, glaring at Robert's back. “I won't tell you again.”

“He won't let me see him,” Robert said. “We had a fight.”

Chrissie laughed incredulously and walked towards him with halting steps, fists clenched with rage. “What does that have to do with me? It may have escaped your notice, but I hate you.”

“Well that makes two of us,” Robert said and refilled his glass. “I can’t drink at home because Chas will want to know why. Can’t drink at the scrapyard because Adam will want to know why. So I’m drinking here where no-one cares.”

“Robert, I will call the police.” 

“Go ahead,” Robert said. “Tell them I broke in. Maybe if I end up in the cell next door to him he won't be able to ignore me.”

“Christ, am I your marriage guidance counsellor now?” Chrissie snapped. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”

“What, like you?” Robert shot back. He held up his ring finger and pulled off his ring, setting it down on the table next to the bottle of whisky. 

Chrissie stared at him speechless for a moment before a quick glance told her he'd been wearing two rings.

“Is that Aaron’s?”

“He said he didn't want me. He said I'd ruined everything.”

“Jesus,” Chrissie drawled, a smile curling at the corners of her mouth. “Good for him.”

“Fuck you.”

“Not if my life depended on it.”

Robert raised his glass to her and drank. 

Chrissie grabbed an empty glass and poured herself a drink. “I do hate you,” she said, sitting down beside him. 

“I know.”

“So what happened to make him crack? You’ve only been married three weeks. At least I got a few months.”

“He’s in prison,” Robert pointed out. “It’s not like it was with you.” 

“Clearly,” Chrissie hissed. “So, why are you taking anything he says seriously?” 

“Liv was expelled,” Robert sighed. “And this. Him being inside. This is all my fault. If I hadn't lied to him, hadn't fought with him…”

“I thought he beat someone up,” Chrissie interrupted. “Bob said he punched Finn’s boyfriend, repeatedly.”

“Well, Bob needs to learn to shut up,” Robert said, picking up the bottle to top up his glass. “And yeah that's what happened but it was my fault.”

“You made Aaron punch someone in the face?”

“It's not…”

“No, shut up,” Chrissie snapped. “It's my turn to talk now. You come into my house, crying because the man you broke up our marriage for is telling you to get lost? Well, guess what, Robert? Marriage isn’t easy. You may not realise because God knows you didn’t spend one day of our marriage being honest or working on anything except how to have your cake and eat it. A rich wife for the outside world and a bit of rough to make you feel special in secret.”

“That’s not what it was.”

“No? Oh no, of course, you loved him.” Chrissie drained her glass and snatched up the bottle again. “Well if it’s true, if you want me to believe it’s true because God knows I don’t, here’s what you’re going to do. You are going to go home. You are going to sober up. You are going to tell Chas what Aaron did and said. Let her sort her son out if you’re not allowed in. You are going to march into Liv’s Headteacher’s office and demand that they reinstate her and then you’re going to sit her down and have an actual conversation about her behaviour.”

She paused to take a drink, ignoring the way Robert was staring at her. 

“You are going to stop this ridiculous self-flagellation and be Robert Sugden. Be the scheming bastard of a man that Aaron loves. The one that gets things done. The one that gets what he wants.”

“Are you helping me?” Robert asked, confused. “Why?”

“Because it's really hard to hate you like this,” Chrissie said, “and God knows hating you is sometimes all that gets me through the day. So sort yourself out, Robert. Let me continue hating you in peace.”

Robert laughed, stunned by her words but grateful all the same. He leant in close and, very lightly, kissed her on the cheek. 

“Thank you,” he said. 

“If you ever touch me again, I will kill you.”

Robert smiled and got to his feet, grabbing Aaron’s ring as he did so. “No need to worry on that score.”

“Now get out.”

With another smile and a slight nod, Robert headed out, leaving Chrissie alone with the rest of the scotch, cursing the day she met Robert Sugden.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [misswhimsy](http://misswhimsy.tumblr.com) for Emmerdale stuff and [bambiesque](http://bambiesque.tumblr.com) for everything else.


End file.
